Locking latch structure



w. A. SHEARER ErAL 405,24

LOCKING LATCH STRUCTUREl Filed June 19, 1944 2 SheetS-Shet l g.' S, 1946. W, A SHEARER ETAL 405,24

LOCKING LATCH STRUCTURE Filed'June 19, 1944 2 sheets-sheetl 2 Patented Aug. 6, 1946 UNIT y, STATES LOCKING LATCH STRU()'E URh- Application .lune 19, 1944, Serial No. 541,077

4 Claims. (C1. 'Z0-100).

This invention relates to a combination lock and latch structure.

The chief object of this invention is to provide in a single structure a latch which can be locked and which can have associated therewith other locking elements for providing additional locks.

The chief feature of the invention consists in providing a latching member that is manually movable from a retracted to a projected position, and when projected, the same is arranged to function as a catch and which furthermore is provided with means for maintaining the catch in the locked position.

Other objects and features of the invention will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

t The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional Iview through a portion of a stationary wall provided with a catch plate arrangement, a closure that is slidable to and from that wall and a lock structure carried by the latter.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View taken o line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is an elevational View taken in the plane 4--4 of Fig. 1 and in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and is a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken in a plane parallel to the plane 2 2 and remote from the lock.

In the drawings I indicates a channel having the base portion Ia which is slotted or notched as at II to form a catch retaining portion IIa. Rigid therewith is a centering strip I2 having the vertical groove I 2a therein. This also is apertured as at I3, see Fig. l, to pass the catch member.

The closure associated with this stationary element or wall arrangement includes a lead post I 4, also channel shaped, and this has its wings I arranged for suitable connection to the olosure proper. This is the lead post, and it is to be understood that the closure is movable toward and away from the stationary post I0, and the closure by means hereinafter to be described, can be latched to that stationary post or locked thereto as desired. The lead post Iii is also slotted as at IB, and the several slots, when the two posts are positioned adjacent each other, are in carried by the lead post is the bumper support member I'I. the lock body.

Referring to Fig. 6, it will be observed that this member II retains the cushion bumper structure I9, and this is adapted to seat in the groove I2a in cushioning post to post contact when the closure is closed.

The lock structure includes a housing comprised of a pair of plates 26 suitably secured in spaced relation by means of spacing members 2l and suitable connectors 22. thehousing is a pair of spaced aligned guides 23 which are in vertical alignment and a pair of guides and stops 24 and 25 which also happen to be vertically aligned and are adjacent the opening I5. A bearing member 25 includes a stem 2l slidable in guide 23. Confronting the lsame and above it is the bearing member 28 having upwardly directed stem 29 slidable in the upper guide 23. C-shaped springs 3B are suitably interposed between the spacing members 2i, which serve as spring anchors, and the members This post is slotted as at I8 to nest y 26 and 26 and will normally constrain these memforward end of said portion 35 terminates in a hook 36 which has a curved nose 35a and a fiat rearward face 3l which is the catching face. Rigid with the eccentric 33 is the operating shaft and this extends oppcsitely from said eccentric and is rounded at 38a and is squared as at 3th as shown. A sleeve IlI is provided in alignment with the shaft 38. One of these is at each side of the housing and located within the lead post. A coupling member 42 has a non-circular exterior and a square cross section interior and telescopically receives the squared end 38a of the shaft carrying the eccentric 33. Extending through circular holes 43 in the side portions of the lead post areA the shafts M, also square, and these at their outer ends carry suitable knobs, 45, masking plates 46, etc.

Now rotating either knob will naturally rotate the eccentric, and in that rotationcertain ofthe springs 3i! will extend and others will compress,

registration. Interposed between the posts and the result being that the bearings 26-and 2.8 will Also interposed in 3 simultaneously elevate or lower, and simultaneously therewith the bolt portion 34 will elevate and lower and will also reciprocate transversely of such elevating and lowering movement. Thus it is by the aforesaid mechanism that the catch can be raised and retracted from the locked position in Fig. 1 for closure opening or can be projected and dropped into locking position as shown in Fig. 1.

The plate 46 previously mentioned is extended upwardly in the present instance and provided with apertures 46a. The side portions of the lead post are also apertured at 41" and a cylindrical housing 48 is suitably retained in said aligned openings and mounts within it the barrel of a cylindrical lock which is key actuatable from either side in the present embodiment 'of the invention.

Now this barrel structure includes a non-circular portion 4Q which is seated in a complementary recess in a cam member in the form of an eccentrically mounted circular portion 50.

Now when it is desired to lock the bolt in the locked position, the member 50 is positioned as shown in Fig. 1. In this position the member 5! is in contact with the upper end of the projection 2s or guide member carried by the bolt. Thus turning of either knob is prevented because the bearings cannot move and thus thetbclt is locked in the locked position. Whenever it is desired to unlockv the structure, the eccentric portion is key 'actuated and turned to the dotted'position, see Fig. 1. This then will permit the member 29 to be elevated at the upper guide 23 when the handle is turned and this permits the bolt to be elevated aswell, stop A25`1imitingV upward move- 'nient as well as the lower face of Vthe upper guide 23. -The' lower position of the aforesaid structure is limited by the upper face of stop 24 and the upper face of the lower guide23.

The interior of the sleeve 61 will be recalled as being non-polygonal as well as the exterior of member 42. Each member 61 includes an arm 41) and pivotally connected vthereto as at 39 is a rod 51. This rod 5i extends to the top or the bottom, as the case may be, of the closure, and in the overhead track or in the floor is a recess or catch plate having the hole 52. The adjacent end of the rod 51'is reduced to pin' formation as at 53 rand is adapted for reception by said opentrated in Fig. 1 at the top and at the bottom.

Thus the locking rods, it will be understood, are restrained by the cylinder lock operable eccentric 50 in exactly the same manner as the locked bolt is restrained. y

Reference will now be had to Fig. 5A wherein a modiiied form of the invention is illustrated and herein numerals of the one hundred series indicate like or comparable parts. There is this difference, however, that herein there is provided on each bearing member spring retaining members 155 on bearing member 128 and its on bearing member 126. The springs 13o herein are illustrated as of the coil type and herein the spacing members 121 constitute a bar apertured at 123 and in lieu of stop 24, the lower bearing member |21 includes the projection 124, the upper face of which serves as the lower stop. The upper spacing member 121 is similarly slotted at 123 and depending therefrom is; the portion 125, the lower y face of which serves as the upper stop limiting 4 the reciprocatory movement of the bearing members. The bearing member 126 includes the guide stem 12T and the bearing member 128 includes the upwardly directed guide stem 129. Herein the upper guide member is recessed as at 160 to clear or accommodate the eccentric 150.

Now when the eccentric 15B is locked in the position as shown in Fig. 5, the upper end of the guide stem 129 is engaged by said eccentric so that the lock or bolt member cannot be vertically reciprocated, and hence, the closure cannot be unlocked. When the eccentric 1511 is moved to the dotted line position, the guide stem 129 can be elevated to the dotted line position, and then two bearing members can elevate and in so doing the upper springs 130 are compressed and the lower springs 13d are extended. This position is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5,

4and when the bolt is thus positioned, the closure can be retracted. Further movement oi the bolt operating knobs will result in the subsequent horizontal retraction of the bolt, such movement being limited by the stop 15'1 aforesaid, and then the bolt can assume a lowered position and within the outlines oi the closure and its cushioned bumper structure as shown by the dotted lines immediately to the right in Fig. 5 of the full lines of the catch portion of the bolt.

It Vwill be observed that both embodiments of this invention are full equivalents of each other and both have substantially the same operation. It will also be observed that both bolts can be elevated and lowered from unlocking to locking positionsY for locking in the latter position and can also be retracted and nested as it were, as shown by dotted lines, so that the bolt does not constitute a projection on the lead post that might serve to accidentally catch on the clothes of someone passing the closure. i

The locking bars or rods 51 and their operative connections to the eccentric arrangement for locking and unlocking the bolt have intentionally been omitted in Fig, 5 for clearness, but it will be quite apparent that they may be added thereto in exactly the same manner as the same are shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive for the first embodiment.

These bars may be key lock actuated when desired.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be consid-4 ered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

l. A lock structure including in combination an eccentric, a crosshead embracing same and of springs each having one end relatively station` 4. In a lo'ck structure the combination of a' l0 pair of spaced bearing portions reciprocable in one direction, a crosshead and bolt reciprocable in said portions and in a transverse direction, means limiting the first mentioned reciprocation, and manually rotatable means for simultaneously effecting both reciprocatory movements.

WILLIAM A. SHE'ARER. RICHARD D. SHEPHERD. ERNEST R. WATKINS. 

